1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors for use with battery power supplies, and in particular to such connectors structured for being mated in a selectively releasable manner. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a genderless connector having terminal retention springs structured to selectively retain terminals in a fixed relationship within the connector, and further are easily adjusted so as to release the terminals from the connector. More particularly yet, the present invention relates to a connector in which the terminal retention springs are securely seated within the connector and are structured to provide excellent strength characteristics for biasing the terminals so as to provide reliable inter-terminal contact between mated connectors; a connector having a metallic shield for protecting the connector housing from damage due to electrically induced overheating and for fixedly seating the biasing spring; and a connector having tabs which prevent accidental improper interconnection between connectors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Battery cable connectors are utilized to releasably interconnect a battery power supply with electrically powered equipment. A common application of this type is that of battery powered vehicles, such as forklifts and golf carts.
The connector is typically constructed of a plastic, electrically insulative material having a generally rectangularly shaped housing. The housing includes two terminal receiving cavities, placed side-by-side and longitudinally oriented within the housing. The forward end of the housing is genderless and structured to mate with an identical connector, while the rearward end of the housing is structured to receive, in each terminal cavity, a terminal with attached electrical cable. Each terminal is structured of an elongate shape with a contact portion at its forward end for electrically contacting its mate in the other connector that is mated therewith. In order to ensure proper electrical contact between mated terminals, a biasing spring is located within the housing of the connector which resiliently biases the terminal in an upwardly transverse direction. The biasing spring is generally in the form of a cantilever spring, and is structured to include an engagement structure that nominally abuts a ledge of the terminal which thereby affixes the terminal within the terminal cavity. Flexing the biasing spring away from the ledge in the terminal permits removal of the terminal from the terminal cavity, should the need ever arise.
An example of such a connector is recounted in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,931 to Joseph Kinnear, dated June 22, 1982, hereby incorporated by reference.
While such connectors are extremely useful and of low cost because of genderless design, they suffer from certain significant operational drawbacks. Firstly, it is difficult to cause the biasing spring to flex out of the way of the ledge of the terminal so that the terminal may be removed from the terminal cavity of the housing. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,931, a screwdriver or the like must be inserted into the front of the terminal cavity in order to press against the biasing spring to flex it. This is frequently difficult to accomplish, and can be impossible in the event two mated connectors are unable to be separated from one another, such as when they are fused due to overheating. When fused, the electrical cables must be cut, possibly requiring their replacement if they are no longer of sufficient length. Secondly, the biasing spring itself, as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,931, suffers from degradation of strength due to having been lanced at its forward end and slotted at it base. Thirdly, the housing of the connector is constructed of a plastic, which while of excellent electrical insulatory property, is subject to structural deformation in the event an untoward incident arises causing electrical energy to be dissipated in the connector at a rate faster than can be comfortably distributed through and out of the connector housing. In an extreme case, the housing may deform to the point of rendering further service of the connector impossible due to melting. Such derogatory deformations may not be obvious from external inspection, in that the cantilever action of the biasing spring may have been compromised by its seat in the terminal cavity having melted. Fourthly, there is ever present the danger that a positive-negative terminal interconnection can be made, resulting in potential serious injury and extensive property damage as the battery shorts.
Accordingly, what is needed is a connector of the type generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,931, now improved to provide effective and easy flexing of the biasing spring for purposes of removal of the terminal, provide an optimized strength of the biasing spring, protect the housing of the connector from much of the effects of overheating, and prevent accidental positive-negative terminal interconnection.